With a Culture Pass You Can Visit Libraries and Museums in NYC for Free

Summer always seems like an uphill battle against Summer Slide, but it doesn’t have to be.

By Anja Webb July 19, 2018

This summer, your Brooklyn, New York, or Queens Public Library card, along with Culture Pass, allows you to visit 33 museums and cultural sites in New York City for free. That’s right, free.

In addition to your standard access to public libraries, Culture Pass also gives you free entry to must see museums such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art and several cross-cultural museums in Manhattan such as the Museum of Jewish Heritage and the Museum of the Chinese in America.

With regular tickets for popular museums ranging anywhere from $8-$25, the opportunity to get free entry is ideal for families on a budget. To prevent summer learning loss, take your younger kids to multiple children’s museums throughout Manhattan and Brooklyn. To help your older kid develop his interests and explore potential career paths, take him to specialized exhibits at places such as the International Center of Photography or the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum. One pass allows admission for up to four people (depending on which venue you visit) so you can bring the whole family.

It is important to note that you will need to make an online reservation before you visit your museum of choice. You will also only have a limited amount of reservations to an organization per year. Your kids younger than 13 won’t be eligible for their own Culture Pass, so you will have to register for one instead. To reserve a Culture Pass and to see a full list of participating organizations, you can visit the Culture Pass website.